You're My Girl
by panpipes
Summary: Last time, Phoebe was abandoned in the woods with no means to get help, food or water. 50 miles from her hometown and in the middle of nowhere. This time? Well, you'll have to read to find out. Will she survive or perish? *completed hoorah!*
1. Not The Most Fun Night

I have a few things to say before we start.  
  
I don't know if the age is correct. For instance, maybe Piper is supposed to be 18 and Prue 20, but it's not really major.  
  
I don't know how old they were when Grams died, so if she should in fact be dead, lol, I apologise, but live with it! She could last a few more years okay?  
  
Thank you and now onto...  
  
  
  
  
You're My Girl  
  
Chapter One: Not The Most Fun Night  
  
  
Her breathing came silently as she groped her way down the stairs. Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt the next step with her foot, the creaky step, and lightly avoided it. Even in the dark, she knew exactly where she was, and sighed as no sound came from where she now placed her foot. A small smile crossed her lips. She had almost made it! Now at the bottom of the stairs, she felt and crept her way to the door. Her heart pounded with adrenaline, excitement and fear. Almost there! She sighed slightly as the front door got closer and closer. She could almost taste the cool night air.   
  
Then a bright light shone from behind her, casting her shadow in front of her, showing that she was only a few feet from the door. And not alone. Her body froze and her mind was thrown into a panic. No! She'd been so close! And now she was caught. "Please don't be Grams, please don't be Grams" she whispered silently.  
  
"Phoebe?" came the voice from behind her. It was Prue. She felt relief wash over her body. Then she remembered that Prue wasn't exactly much of a consolation. "Phoebe. Turn around." her older sister commanded.  
  
Making a small whimpering noise Phoebe slowly turned around. She squinted into the beam of the torch. "Uh... hi Prue. What's up?" she attempted.   
  
"You, it looks like." Prue answered, her voice taking on a very stern tone.  
  
"You, uh, couldn't move the torch could you?"  
  
Prue still directed the beam steadily into Phoebe's eyes. Phoebe took this as a sign that Prue was definitely not happy. She tried a weak smile, but could almost feel Prue's vehemency travel through the still air. A lamp to her left trembled a little. Phoebe's head snapped towards it.   
  
"What was that?" she whispered, "Did you see that? That lamp just moved!"  
  
"Phoebe, you're sixteen years old, stop being stupid," Prue dismissed it, "Now care to tell me what you're doing up at midnight?"  
  
Phoebe shifted weight uncomfortably, "Um... I was... getting some water" she lied. And it would have been very convincing if it hadn't been for one thing:  
  
"Which is why you're standing at the front door fully dressed and made up." Prue said, her voice remaining calm but fear-inducing.  
  
"Uh," Phoebe stuttered. She couldn't think of anything to say which would get her out of this mess. Prue may be her sister, but it was no secret that they didn't get on fabulously well at times. 'Man,' she thought, 'this is Prue getting me back for ripping her sweater'.  
  
"What's going on?" whispered a voice from the top of the stairs. It was Piper, also brandishing a torch. She shone it down on the scene below her, Prue in her PJ's with a an extremely nasty expression on her face shining another torch at a fully clothed and guilty looking Phoebe. "Ooh, busted!" she grinned. She hopped down the stairs, careful as to not wake Grams, a renowned light sleeper. "Where you goin' Phoebe?" she said, smiling at her little sister.  
  
"I was just," Phoebe began, "I was just," she faltered. 'Why bother?' she thought to herself. She may as well just accept the consequences, whatever they were.   
  
There was a pause while no one said anything. It was very tense as Phoebe awaited Prue's final verdict. After a long time, Prue lowered the torch beam. She sighed.  
  
"I don't know why, I'm doing this Phoebe, but I'm gonna let you off with this. I don't know where you were going, but quite frankly I don't really care. I'm supposed to protect you, okay?"  
  
Phoebe's eyes found the floor. So this was the consequence. One big guilt trip.  
  
"And, God knows why, but I care about you," Prue was now saying. She was quiet for a moment. "Okay, get to bed. You too Piper. You're so nosey!" she playfully batted Piper on the arm.  
  
Piper gave her a look of mock contempt, before heading back upstairs. Prue turned to Phoebe expectantly.   
  
Phoebe began to make her way past her, but stopped. "Prue, I..." she slowed down, and decided to say what she meant. "Just... thanks."  
  
They climbed the stairs together. "No problem," Prue smiled as they reached the top, emerging onto the landing. "Just don't let me catch you doing that again."  
  
"Doing what, exactly?" a harsh voice resonated from in front of them. The hall light flickered on, and Prue and Phoebe froze as they saw Grams standing sternly, roughly holding a terrified Piper by the ear. "Care to explain what you're doing up at half past midnight on a school night?" 


	2. A Really Not Great Night!

Chapter Two: A Really Not Great Night!  
  
  
  
  
"How does it look?"  
  
"Ow. It's still pink."  
  
"Is it? Well it god damn well hurts as well." Piper touched her now tender ear, throbbing from when Grams had twisted it non stop for about ten minutes.  
  
"This is ridiculous. Honestly it is. What gives her the right to do this to us? Prue, you're nineteen! You're an adult! You could stand up to her!"  
  
"Are you forgetting this is Grams we're talking about?" Prue said to her littlest sister, "if I ever did anything like that, my head would end up twelve miles from my body." She sighed. "We may as well just stick it out with a smile and hope for the best." She lay on the bed beside Piper.  
  
"Hey who says you get the bed?" Phoebe argued. "This is my room!"  
  
Prue glared at her cooly. "Because you're the one who got us into all this. You don't deserve the bed." She sighed and attempted to get comfortable on Phoebe's single bed. Grams had intentionally locked the three of them in the smallest room with the smallest bed. She silently cursed the woman who had trapped them together for a long hour so far. Five more to go.   
  
"It's for your own good," Grams had said, "since you seem to like spending so much time together you'll almost enjoy this I'm sure." Then the lock had clicked with a last threat: "This isn't over."  
  
Prue sighed and glanced at Piper, who was staring at the ceiling. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Piper said sadly. She closed her eyes.  
  
"Hey," Prue grinned, "what did I tell you about being nosey?"  
  
Piper laughed. "Curiosity killed the cat or what?" She was starting to feel a lot better about the situation. She settled down to try to sleep. Out of the three of them, Piper was easily the most intimidated by their grandmother. All of them were, of course, but Piper's shy nature was far more subject to be threatened by Grams' dominating personality. Unfortunately, just thinking about Grams brought the nervous feeling back into Piper's stomach. Being cooped up together for the night wouldn't even be half of their punishment.   
  
She was awoken by suddenly finding herself falling off the bed! Rough hands grabbed her before she thudded to the ground, and using her arm around her sister's waist, Phoebe manouvered Piper back onto the bed.   
  
"What the hell?" Piper spat angrily.   
  
"Shh!" Phoebe said desperately, attempting to clamp her hand over Piper's mouth but yelping as her sister bit it. "Piper, shut up!"  
  
"Phoebe?" Piper whispered into the dark. Her pumping heart slowed a little.   
  
"Yes! Who did you think it was?" Phoebe whispered back furiously, clutching her injured hand.   
  
"I don't know. You scared me, that's all." Piper said. She looked at the clock. It was half three in the morning. She must've fallen alseep. "What are you playing-" She felt Phoebe's hand cover her mouth before she could finish her sentence. She pawed at Phoebe's had and tore it away. "Quit doing that!"   
  
"Well shut up then!"   
  
Their angry voices prompted a groan from Prue, who was still asleep. Phoebe caught her breath, her body tense in case she woke her sister up, but Prue remained asleep, and began snoring lightly.  
  
Phoebe sighed. "I was just trying to get on the bed. Prue wasn't letting me so I had to wait till she fell asleep before I could get a decent rest. I didn't mean to wake you or anything."  
  
"That's okay," Piper said, "I didn't mean to bite you. Oh, wait - yes I did."  
  
"Piper." Phoebe pleaded.  
  
"I'm kidding Phoebe," Piper giggled. "Now let's try and get some sleep. You don't still kick do you?" She saw Phoebe shrug in the tiny amount of light there was in the room. "Good night."  
  
"Night Piper," Phoebe said quietly, and rested her head between Piper and Prue's.  
  
"Night." Piper whispered back. She attempted to get comfortable, but it was incredibly difficult since she was perched on the end of the bed. Craning her neck, she noticed Phoebe had tactically given Prue a whole half of the bed, which unfortunately meant there was scarcely any space for herself and Piper. She sighed, quietly annoyed, and closed her eyes. Her mood was worsened when Phoebe jerked her foot into her calves. 'I take it she does still kick then' she thought vehemently.   
  
* * *  
  
"Rise and shine girls, you've a lot of work to do before school!" Grams called, yanking the curtain open and whipping the bedclothes off the three sleeping sisters.  
  
Freezing air instantly wrapped itself around the girls, waking them in an extremely unpleasant manner.   
  
"Oh my God!" Prue yelped and subconsciously huddled into Phoebe for warmth. "Grams! What time is it?" she squinted into the light which was attacking her eyes.  
  
"Not a minute after five. Now get up and get dressed. I want to see the three of you downstairs in ten minutes." She stomped out of the room.  
  
Piper rolled over, wincing at the pain in her legs from Phoebe's restless feet. "What's going on?" She blinked several times before realising what was happening. "God I'm sore." She felt her neck click from sleeping in a strange position and her back was begging to be lain on sometihng flat. She gingerly slid onto the floor and lay facing the ceiling, arching her back until the bones clicked. There was a sharp pain, then relief swept over her. "Man that felt great."   
  
"Really? Sounded like something was breaking." Phoebe said apprehensively. "Where'd Prue go?"  
  
Piper looked around Phoebe's room and realised Prue had indeed gone. "Dunno."  
  
Prue reappeared in the doorway, fully clothed. "I was getting dressed. And I suggest you do too. Grams'll get even more pissed if you're late." Piper grimaced, then got up and walked past Prue, who was now staring at the floor.  
  
Phoebe looked at her eldest sister. She had a look about her that Phoebe couldn't really tell what it was. She looked somehow... resigned, defeated. Phoebe disregarded it as nerves for what was going to happen to them. She felt quite sorry for Prue. Nineteen years old, but still controlled by an old woman. Mind you, she was a very vicious and authoritarian old woman, but still, it couldn't be that much fun.  
  
"Come on, Prue," she tried to cheer her up, "I'm sure it can't be that bad!"  
  
Prue smiled. "You're right. I'm sure this'll all blow over really soon."  
  
"Prue, Phoebe, get down here. Now!"  
  
The two sisters' eyes widened at Grams' words.   
  
"Uh oh," Prue uttered.  
  
"Let's, let's go," Phoebe suggested. They hurtled down the stairs to meet Grams in the kitchen. Piper was already there, and she shrugged at them sheepishly.   
  
"Thirteen seconds late. I won't forget this." Grams said, glaring at the two newcomers. "Before I give you your punishment, I want you to make me a coffee. Pronto." And she swept away into the living room.  
  
Prue got to work on the coffee. "Yech. I don't get how poeple drink this stuff. It's disgusting!"  
  
"Hurry up," Grams' voice floated through.  
  
"Never thought I'd say this," Phoebe sighed, "but I really can't wait to get to school." 


	3. Somebody's Girl

Somebody's Girl  
  
  
Three long hours later, Phoebe trudged into homeroom. She was early, and the room was empty. She collapsed into a chair, and tried to fall asleep. Minutes passed, and she was soon almost asleep.  
  
"Phoebe?" came a male voice from behind her. "Phoebe!" A hand pressed into her shoulder.  
  
"Wha?" she jerked awake. "What? Oh, hi Matt." She grinned at her boyfriend of three days. Matt was perfect. He was one of the most popular guys in her year, and she was just so happy he'd finally noticed her! She tried to stifle a yawn, but he noticed.   
  
"Are you okay? You look tired." Matt said, concerned, sitting down beside her.  
  
"Oh," she said, looking into his hazel eyes, "I'm, I'm fine."  
  
"Really," he began stroking her arm, "in that case," he began to tighten his grip on her arm, "you might wanna tell me where the hell you were last night."  
  
Phoebe tried to ignore the way he was holding her. "Oh, God, Matt - I am so sorry. I..." Phoebe had a choice. She could tell him she got caught and suffer the embarrassment, or... "I completely forgot," she said. "Ow!" she yelped as his hand closed around her own and began tightening. "Matt! That hurts!" she was shocked at how angry he was. 'Maybe I should've told him the truth.'  
  
"So I'm not important to you? Is that it?" he demanded.  
  
"Of, of course you are. I had a lot of stuff going on and... I'm sorry." She was beginning to get a little frightened until the door opened and a bunch of chattering girls came in. Matt instantly relaxed his grip.   
  
"Well, well, well," one of the girls came over, "if it isn't San Fran's newest couple. Come on Matt, you could do so much better than that."  
  
Phoebe bristled. "Go away Sandra," she commanded, staring at the girl.  
  
"Or what?"  
  
"Or I'll get Lewis to dump you," Matt said with a smile.  
  
This caught Sandra off guard. "Fine. I was only trying to help."  
  
"Help somewhere else" he snapped. Sandra stalked away. Phoebe could almost see the rage coming from her. She felt a kiss placed on her cheek. "You okay babe?"  
  
Phoebe brushed the hair out of her face. "Yeah, I, I'm fine. Thanks," she instantly forgot about the pain he'd been inflicting minutes later in her gratitude.  
  
"Well in that case, how about I take you out after school. We can go for a ride."  
  
"Uh..." Phoebe stalled. There was no way she could tell the most popular guy in class that she'd been ordered by her grandmother to go straight home after school.   
  
"As a payback for last night. I waited in the cold for you babe," he implored her eyes.  
  
"I... I..." she couldn't disappoint him again, could she? But Grams would be so pissed. Unless... "Okay, Matt."  
  
"Brilliant," he grinned, and placed a soft kiss on her lips before getting up and going to his usual seat. On his way across, he winked to one of his friends, and gave a small smirk.  
  
* * *  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"I don't know, but it's been fifteen minutes."  
  
"God, Grams is not gonna be happy."  
  
"Maybe she's gone home already."  
  
"But I told her to meet us here." Prue sighed angrily. "Why does she never listen? Let's, let's just go."  
  
They turned around and began to walk away from the school. They didn't see their sister settled into a soft leather seat in the car that sped past. But that was probably because Phoebe had seen them first and ducked out of sight.  
  
"What're you doing?" Matt asked.   
  
"Uh..." Phoebe said, straightening herself, "just... my back hurts a little." A quick glance into one of the cars' side mirrors showed her sisters didn't seem to have spotted her.  
  
"Well, I have the perfect cure for a sore back. Comfy leather chairs. Sit back and enter relaxo-land!" Matt grinned.  
  
Phoebe laughed. "You're so goofy!" She leaned back into the chair and it was true - it was comfortable. "Oh, this car is great."  
  
"Isn't it?" Matt said, "Nothing but the high life for you now, Phoebe. You're my girl."  
  
Phoebe wondered if this comment of possession should anger her, but somehow it made a tingle travel through her body. She was someone's girl! She smiled up at him. "So where're we going?" she asked, realising she didn't recognise the area they were in.  
  
"You don't know where we are?" he said, "We're on the outskirts of the city," he threw the car into gear, "and now we're not." 


	4. A Trip To The Woods

"Wait, we're not in the city anymore?" Panic rose in Phoebe's voice.  
  
"Well, it's a beautiful day. Why not go into the countryside and take a walk or something?" he glanced at her sideways. "You do want to, don't you? I mean, we could turn around and I'll take you home right now."  
  
"No, no, Matt," she protested. "You're right. It's beautiful outside."  
  
"It's beautiful in here too," he said. Then burst out laughing. "Okay that was cheesy!" he pulled the car over. "I know a trail in this wood here," he told her, indicating the small forest they'd stopped beside. "We can go along there." He got out of the car, followed by Phoebe. He walked over to her. "Come on, you'll be a bit too hot in that jacket. Let me put it in the car."  
  
She handed her jacket over, and he threw it into the back seat. Smiling warmly, he came over to her and began undoing her blouse buttons.  
  
"Uh, Matt," she began, startled.  
  
"Don't be so uptight, Phoebe, I'm just giving you a look." He undid all the buttons on her blouse apart from two in the middle. "Much better," he said, stepping back to admire her. "Even sexier, could you believe?"  
  
She laughed nervously.  
  
"Let's go," he said, and swiftly placed a sharp slap on her ass.  
  
She yelped in shock. "Matt!"  
  
"Oh, Phoebe, I'm sorry," he laughed. "I can't help it - your butt's just so cute! Forgive me?" He grinned at her earnestly, and she nodded. Taking her hand, he jerked her into a run and pulled her into the woods laughing.  
  
* * *  
  
It was an hour later and Phoebe was feeling fantastic. She'd spent the afternoon wandering through a fragnant forest holding hands and receiving little kisses from Matt while they mingled with nature. It was still beautiful weather, and the sun had been beating down for hours. They stopped to rest in a clearing beside a little river, where Matt had lain down his shirt for Phoebe to sit on. He was such a gentleman - and, Phoebe noticed - clearly worked out!  
  
"I'm sure your shirt is getting all dirty," she said apologetically, watching him pace around her.  
  
He crouched down behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's cool," he whispered in her ear, "I was hot anyway." His hands began making small movements on her shoulders, circling lightly. Shivers of excitement swept through Phoebe's body. How could such a simple movement provoke such arousement? She drew in a ragged breath, which signalled she liked what he was doing. She felt him move onto his knees, sitting with a leg on either side of her hips as he kept working her shoulders.  
  
Matt trailed a finger down her spine, and Phoebe noticed he spent a lot of time going over the spot where her bra strap lay. Was he annoyed at it? But she couldn't worry, the tingling sensation which was traveling down her back and through to her stomach felt too good.  
  
She leant back into his bare chest as his hands moved up again and began caressing her upper arms. He began placing hundreds of tiny tinder kisses along her neck. Phoebe found her hands were reaching behind her and touching his thighs. She couln't help it, she had to return his sensitive touch, make him feel as good as she did.   
  
He took this as a sign that it was okay to touch her breasts. He did it almost accidentally at first - casually using the base of his thumb to brush against the material of her blouse, then began to touch more obviously.  
  
This shocked Phoebe a little at first, she wasn't used to being seen as an object of desire, but she relaxed into it as she realised how good it felt being touched this way, how good it was that someone wanted to touch her this way! She didn't mind feeling Matt undo the remaining two buttons of her blouse, she even tugged it off for him.  
  
"God Phoebe, I know it's only been a few days, but I feel so great when I'm with you," Matt said, "Do you feel the same?"  
  
"Yes," she exhaled. "Yeah I do." She tossed her blouse on the ground, not noticing the dirt it landed in. He edged closer to her, pulling her backwards into him from behind. There was no space between his legs and her hips now, and Phoebe felt all the more aroused at feeling his chest against her naked back. She reached behind her back between them, and began undoing her bra. She could feel Matt catch his breath behind her, and smiled slightly before tugging it off.  
  
"Oh Phoebe," he cupped her naked breasts immediately, using his fingers to rub the hard nubs of her nipples. She felt a bulge press into her lower back through his jeans. "You're beautiful."  
  
She arched her back into him, and he began nibbling on her neck, moving his hands further down her body. He was rubbing his bulge slightly against her back. His hands moved down her stomach, and began playing with the waistband of her jeans. Staying on top of the material, he stroked her crotch gently. Phoebe let out a shuddering breath, her thoughts fled to how far she might go. She was suddenly glad she was wearing a thong, at this moment which was getting very wet as his gentle fingers trailed over her jeans.  
  
Suddenly his hand jerked and clamped onto her crotch tightly, causing her to gasp in shock. He began pulling her closer to him, then letting go, then pulling her again. This rocking movement made Phoebe feel like she'd never been more turned on. His fingers travelled up to her zip and slowly pulled it down. He slipped his hand in. 


	5. Busted!

It was after seven when Matt's car pulled up outside the manor. Piper was watching silently out the window. Her facial expression didn't change when she saw her little sister get out of the car.   
  
"Piper could you give me a hand with - what're you looking at?" Prue had bustled into the room. She joined Piper at the window just in time to see Phoebe lean into the car and kiss someone. "Ooh that little..." Prue marched towards the front door as Phoebe let herself in. Piper trotted in behind Prue just in time to see Phoebe's expression of total shock to find her two sisters waiting for her.  
  
"Hi?" she offered.  
  
Prue glared at her. "Where the hell were you?" she began, "And I must say, doesn't this scene look familiar? Reminds me of, ooh, last night!"  
  
"You're just lucky Grams has been out all day." Piper interjected.  
  
"No, Piper," Prue said, "I let her away with it last night, and I see she hasn't learned anything. Soon as Grams gets home, you're screwed." She began to walk away.  
  
"No, Prue, please!" Phoebe rushed to Prue's side and grabbed her arm desparately. "I'm begging you - please don't tell Grams. Please!"  
  
"Why shouldn't I?" Prue yelled. "Me and Piper had to do all your chores as well as our own while you're out having fun with some guy! It's all your fault in the first place!"  
  
"Prue," Piper said quietly.  
  
"I can't be bothered with this Phoebe! You're so irresponsible, why won't you just grow up?"  
  
"Prue." Piper spoke a little more loudly.  
  
"This is your mess which you got yourself into, and I don't see why I should help you out of it again if you're just gonna disrespect me like this."  
  
"Prue!" Piper finally yelled, cutting into her sister's rage.  
  
"What?" Prue shouted back. "What is it?"  
  
"Look at her! I think she's sorry!" Piper said angrily. And it was true. Phoebe's face was a mixture of terror, grief and guilt. And the tears on her cheeks added to her sorrow. "Just, give her a break."  
  
Prue looked from Piper to Phoebe, and saw just how upset she was. But anger still boiled inside her. How could Piper always make them stop like this? She felt almost guilty about making Phoebe cry, even though she knew she shouldn't. She took a deep breath, and began to walk away.  
  
"Prue," Phoebe said quickly. Prue stopped, but didn't turn around. "Please, don't tell Grams. I'll, I'll do your chores tomorrow. And Piper's! I'm in enough trouble as it is. I will, I promise."  
  
There was a long pause as Prue mulled it over. Finally, she said "I'll think about it," then walked upstairs.   
  
Phoebe breathed a huge sigh of relief, and turned to Piper. "Thanks a lot, I was-"  
  
"Huh," Piper cut her off. "You know, just cos I'm not yelling at you, doesn't mean I'm not mad. She was pretty much doing it all for me."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I don't wanna hear it Phoebe. Prue's right - you totally disrespect her, and what she did for you last night... well, you're remembering this is Prue, right?" Piper looked really disappointed. Phoebe knew this was Piper's way of getting Phoebe to feel bad, by making her see how disappointed in her she was.   
  
"I'm sorry Piper." Phoebe said.   
  
Piper stood aside to let Phoebe past. On her way, however, Phoebe found her sleeve being grabbed suddenly.   
  
"What's this?" Piper demanded, showing Phoebe the dirt that was on her blouse.  
  
"Uh..." Phoebe faltered, but Piper didn't notice.  
  
"Why is it buttoned wrong? And where's your jacket - and your bra!" 


	6. Mmm... Candlelit Breakfast!

It had been nearly a week since the first incident of Phoebe sneaking out, and since then, Phoebe had had a terrible time explaining to her enraged sisters where her clothes had gone to, and how her neck was covered with hickeys. And it wasn't made much easier by Prue screaming "Did you have sex? Did you have sex?" repeatedly at her.  
  
"We just hung out-"  
  
"You hung out naked?"  
  
"No! Well, sorta, well no!"  
  
"Did you have sex?"  
  
"Where did you go?"  
  
"To this forest-"  
  
"A forest?"  
  
"Did you have sex?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You did?"  
  
"No! Prue, we did not have sex! Oh my God! Will you please stop yelling?"  
  
"Not until you explain yourself - who is this guy?"  
  
"His name's Matt. He's in some of my classes. We've been going out for a week or so-"  
  
"A week? You let a guy you hardly know take you into a forest alone and get naked with you?"  
  
"No. Well... yeah, sorta. But he took care of me, and-"  
  
"Yeah, and I bet he will take care of you, real soon. Phoebe you can't just trust guys right off like that! Most of them are only after one thing."  
  
"Matt's not"  
  
"Yeah, it looks like that, the way you're not wearing a bra and your shirts done like a hussy!"  
  
"It is not!" But Phoebe quickly pulled on a sweater all the same. She sat huffily on her bed. "I don't know what you're so pissed about. You used to be like this too. And still are!"  
  
"Yeah, well, first of all I'm nineteen. Second of all, maybe I regret my past - did you think of that Phoebe? I just don't want you to go down the same road that I did."  
  
"Well, maybe that's not your descision." Phoebe retorted.  
  
The front door slammed. "Girls, I'm home." Grams' voice floated up the stairs.  
  
Phoebe looked at Prue pleadingly. "Please don't tell her?"  
  
Prue stared at her, then turned on her heel and went downstairs.   
  
"Prue!" Phoebe cried after her, but got no reply.  
  
"Come on," Piper said, "We better get downstairs. Good luck. Wasn't that bad knowing you"  
  
* * *  
  
And now it was a few days later. Saturday. 7:30am to be exact. Phoebe was the only one up, and she was not happy. In return for not telling on her to Grams a few days earlier, Prue now had Phoebe running after her like a little slave. Phoebe normally wouldn't have let Prue take it this far, but she really felt in debt to her sister - that was twice she hadn't told, and she'd also put her through a lot of grief. One of Prue's requests had been breakfast in bed that particular morning, so Phoebe had gotten up extra-early to make it properly. And besides - not to anybody else's knowledge - she was seeing Matt today. He was picking her up at 9:30 and said he had a special day planned for them. She was trembling with excitement. She hadn't seen him out of school since their walk through the woods, and was full of a longing to feel his kiss again.   
  
Two long hours later, she was sitting on the doorstep outside waiting. Her heart pounded with fear that she might be discovered by Grams or worse Prue, who kept lecturing her on boys. She was glancing at her watch when his car pulled up. Smiling, she rose and hurried over, and slid into the soft seat.   
  
"Morning," he said leaning in for a kiss.  
  
Unfortunately for Phoebe at that moment, Piper had chosen to look out of the window just when she was getting into the car. "Oh my God," Piper said.  
  
"What?" Prue's head shot up. Piper simply sighed, so Prue scuttled to the window and saw the black car pull away. "God dammit! Does that girl never learn? That's it Piper - I'm not doing her any more favours. If Grams asks where she is, I'm not gonna cover up for her." She grabbed her coat and headed out the door.   
  
Biting her lip, Piper looked at the clock and decided she should head to work too. Great. Another day spent flipping burgers and getting covered in grease.   
  
* * *  
  
"So where're we headed?" Phoebe asked grinning. "A forest? The country? The sea?"  
  
"Wow, you're in a bouncy mood today! Overload on the coffee?"   
  
"No, that stuff makes me sick. Tell me Matt!"  
  
"Well, since it's our week-and-a-half anniversary, I thought I'd make it special. Have you eaten yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Great," he said and threw the car into gear. They sat in a pleasant silence for the next few minutes, until they pulled up outside a new-looking detached house. "Here we are." Matt announced, jumping out of the car and hurrying to Phoebe's door so he could open it. She clambered out and gazed at the house. "Come on Pheebs," he said cheerfully and jogged up to the front door, pulling out some keys and unlocking it.  
  
"I take it this is your place?" she asked once she'd caught up with him.  
  
"You know it babe. A lot smaller than your mansion," he said and received an appreciative giggle, "but home none the less." They went inside. Walking through his modern living room, she smiled when he kissed her then pushed her onto the sofa. "Wait here. Make yourself at home - nobody else is in!"  
  
He left Phoebe on her own to sit and look around his living room. It was a very neutral place, and Phoebe soon got bored of waiting. "Matt?" she called, "are you nearly done, whatever you're doing?"  
  
He reappeared behind her. "Boo!" he shouted and grabbed her roughly from behind. 


	7. 'Guys Are All The Same': Proved

Phoebe squealed in fright. "How'd you do that?"  
  
"Magic!" he laughed, and led her through to the kitchen. It, like the living room, was immaculate. Phoebe caught her breath as the warmth of candlelight touched her skin. The lights were out and the curtain drawn. "Candlelit breakfast!" Matt grinned. "Sorry, I only know how to make toast," he added with a touch of embarrassment in his voice.  
  
"Hey - it's beautiful," Phoebe said, pulling him in for a kiss. "I wanna see your bedroom," she said suddenly. It occured to Phoebe just how much seeing it would tell her about Matt. There - she was being precautionary just like Prue said!  
  
He paused. "You're great," he said, before taking her hand and pulling her up the stairs.   
  
Matt's room was great as soon as she stepped in. It was a deep blue, messy but not a pigsty, comfortable and had that great guy smell. Matt smell.   
  
"This place is cool," she said sitting on his bed. "You play guitar?" She noticed a beaten up electric guitar leaning aginst the wall.  
  
"Badly." Matt said, and knelt in front of her. He began to kiss her, softly at first, then harder, using his tongue to explore her mouth for minutes at a time. He held onto her shoulders and pushed her onto the bed, crawling on top of her. He began to touch her breasts, which provoked a feeling of unease from Phoebe.  
  
"Uh, Matt?" Phoebe breathed.  
  
"Come on Phoebe, relax." He replied and began to pull her top off over her head. Phoebe let him do it, but still the discomfort remained. "You're so beautiful," he said, "you've a great personality, a great body, you're perfect." He was beginning to breath more raggedly. "Well, only one thing isn't so perfect," he added, "this."  
  
He reached under her and struggled with her bra. Phoebe began to laugh. He grinned back and eventually released the catch. It came off, and her breasts fell into his waiting hands. He began to lick at her erect nipples, sucking and nibbling at them in a passionate fervour.   
  
After a while and much to Phoebe's relief, he began to concentrate on her lips again. He pulled his t-shirt off over his head and lay back on top of her, chest to chest. She felt the firmness of his stomach against hers, and cupped his face in her hands as they kissed.   
  
Slowly yet skillfully, Matt undid her zip, then her button, and carefully tugged her jeans off. She was now naked apart from her panties. Once again, she was glad she'd chosen a thong.  
  
With one hand, he reached down between them and began rubbing at Phoebe's crotch through the thin material. An explosion of excitement spread through her stomach and she felt her underwear begin to moisten in her arousal.   
  
But in the back of her mind, worry and doubt were niggling at her thoughts. Phoebe knew she wasn't prepared to go further, but how could she tell him? She couldn't disappoint him more as a girlfriend, could she? He'd been angry enough when she told him she couldn't see him after school for the remainder of that week, and was outraged when she said it was because Prue was picking her up every day - because of him. He'd made her promise to make it up to him today. Was this what his consolation was to be? She had to tell him. After this kiss.   
  
Very subtly, he took both of her hands from his and placed them above her head, clasping them with only one of his large hands. With the other, he reached between them and began undoing his own jeans. Somehow, he managed to kick them off while still holding Phoebe's hands down.   
  
"Matt-" she started, but he smothered her with a deep kiss. She could feel his erection pressing into her through his boxers, and began to feel worried. "Matt!" she said when he broke the kiss. "I really don't think we should-"  
  
"Come on Phoebe," he said, "I know it's not been long, but I really like you and you really like me, right?"  
  
"Yeah, but-"  
  
"And you promised you'd make it up to me, didn't you?" he increased his hold on her hands.  
  
"I guess, but I just don't think I'm-"  
  
"Ready. Right. When'll you ever be ready? Do you really want to let me down again? You want to stop being my girlfriend?"  
  
"No, I just-"  
  
"You just want to take it slowly. Well maybe you haven't noticed Phoebe, but I could have any girl I want. I do have any girl I want. And I'm gonna have you."  
  
She realised he'd been very clever - she couldn't move her hands because his iron grip was pinning them above her head. She couldn't even move her body because of his weight on her. And now there was nothing she could do.  
  
He pulled off his boxers, kicking them onto the ground, and carelessly ripped Phoebe's thong off.  
  
Using his one free hand, he forcefully spread her legs.  
  
"No!" Phoebe cried, but it was too late.  
  
He thrust into her roughly, not caring in the slightest about her comfort. Sudden pain filled Phoebe's abdomen, and she screamed as he kept throwing himself into her, harder and harder. 


	8. Dealing

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Matt panted, falling off Phoebe and resting beside her. He was glistening in sweat and his hair was dishevelled. Sitting up quickly, he yanked the duvet out from under Phoebe and placed it over the two of them. "There. You looked cold."  
  
Phoebe stared at the ceiling, rigid. What had just happened? Had he just raped her? Or had she been asking for it, teasing him. Maybe he's honestly thought it was what she'd wanted - after all, she'd let him touch her before, why not go further. No. She'd told him no. She'd struggled against him. It was rape.  
  
Matt turned on his side to face her. "Hey," he said softly, "hey... you're not upset are you?" She didn't answer. "Phoebe. I was watching. After a while, you got into it, I saw." He leaned over and kissed her.   
  
Phoebe screwed up her eyes in disgust. The only problem was that after a while she had felt herself relax into it. It still hurt a lot, but once the pain eased a little, she began to respond to his rhythmical movements. If there was nothing she could do to stop him, why shouldn't she try to enjoy it? After a pause, she glanced at him.  
  
"I guess..." she uttered.  
  
"That's my girl!" Matt grinned, "I knew you just needed a little push and you'd have a great time!" He nuzzled into her neck and began kissing it gently. She gave a little moan of pleasure. "See? You like that don't you?"  
  
She turned her head to kiss him back. So maybe it wasn't how she wanted to lose her virginity in her dreams, but...  
  
Phoebe felt cold again. What had she done? That was it - gone. Just as Prue had warned her, she ended up regretting what she'd done. But surely it wasn't so bad, was it? No, she was overreacting. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was even a positive thing - at least Sandra had now lost one of her prime insults: virgin. She began to kiss him with this positive idea in her head.  
  
Smiling, Matt's hands began to trail over her body again, this time far more gently than before. This provoked a much better response from Phoebe. She felt much more at ease when he was this gentle.  
  
"You were great, Phoebe," Matt smiled, "Maybe... maybe you're up for it again? It won't hurt so much this time, I promise."  
  
Phoebe decided to just let go this time. "I guess," she said, though her voice did shake slightly. She would have to let him unless she wanted him to force it again. She nervously placed a kiss on his lips before closing her eyes as he climbed on top of her. He got a hard-on almost straight away, and spent a few moments kissing her and carassing her breasts with his tongue before concentrating on entering again.   
  
And he was right, Phoebe noted as she clenched her teeth, this time it did hurt a lot less. 


	9. An Unfriendly Encounter

A/N: Jewel-Halliwell - lol at your reviews. I was confused at first but now I get it. Sorta. Thanks for the reviews you've been giving me though!  
A/N: Thank ALL of you for your reviews!!!  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
An hour later, Matt and Phoebe were showered and fully dressed.  
  
"Let's go out and eat," Matt suggested.  
  
"Okay," Phoebe grinned back. She was trying to make herself believe she was happy. The shock was still sinking in. But she couldn't dwell on it as Matt drove them to a burger bar and a new fear crept over her. Piper worked here.  
  
"Uh Matt?" she said timidly, "I... I'm not that hungry anymore."  
  
He looked at her. "Well, okay. I am, so come on. Get your ass out the car and come inside with me." His voice had taken on a sudden commanding tone. Phoebe was unsure whether he was being serious, but she knew that he could have his way with her, so decided to brave Piper in order to keep on his good side. She stepped out of the car.  
  
"Good girl."  
  
* * *  
  
"That'll be $2.27 please. Thank you. Have a nice day." Piper's voice couldn't have sounded more monotonous as she handed over the tray of greasy fast food. "I hate this job," she muttered to herself, scraping the three pennies tip from the counter. Bonus! Three cents - wow.  
  
"Welcome to the Burger Joint how can I help you... Phoebe."  
  
Phoebe felt awful, Piper had looked so miserable and now that expression had been coupled with disappointment.  
  
"Hey it's your sister!" Matt told Phoebe, as if she hadn't noticed. Then he said to Piper "I didn't know you worked here. Man it must suck."  
  
Piper raised her eyebrows slightly and sighed deeply. This was not what she needed. Phoebe and her hot boyfriend waltzing in and commenting on her job.   
  
"Can I take your order?" she said, noticing how Phoebe was avoiding eye contact. But she was too unhappy to do anything about it. Why should she attempt to speak with her sister when she was this disrespectful and smug as to actually come into Piper's workplace and gloat about what a great time she was having.   
  
"Double cheeseburger meal to go," Matt said.  
  
Piper collected the food in her own world of thoughts. Phoebe didn't need to talk, explain why they picked on this particular burger place. Piper could tell the only reason they'd come in was to gloat and be smarmy. Besides, Phoebe had been spouting off about becoming vegetarian so why else would she be here?  
  
"Here." Piper thrust the tray into Matt's hands.  
  
"I said to go," Matt said, "wasn't that clear?"  
  
"Matt..." Phoebe whispered, touching his arm, but he shrugged her off.  
  
"Phoebe, I know this is your sister and all, but if she's gonna work here then at least she should learn how to do her job!" he said angrily, raising his voice a little.  
  
Piper was enraged at the cheek of this boy. How dare he yell at such a small mistake and be so rude right to her face, speaking as if she weren't even there? But there was nothing she could do about it.   
  
"I'm sorry," she said, sounding as if she wasn't sorry at all, "here, you can have it on the house." She slammed shut the till and stared at him, faking a small smile. How can Phoebe like this guy?  
  
"If this happens again, I'll be speaking to your boss," Matt warned, before grabbing his food and heading to the door. Phoebe lingered behind for a moment.  
  
"I'm sorry, Piper," she said, "he's not usually like this, I swear-"  
  
"Phoebe!"   
  
Phoebe looked over her shoulder at Matt waiting at the door, and turned back to Piper. "I'll pay you back for the burger."  
  
Piper pursed her lips. "You better go, little puppy. Master's calling."  
  
"Piper-"  
  
"Phoebe, come on!" Matt was sounding angrier and angrier.   
  
"I'll talk to you at home," Phoebe promised, before scuttling to Matt's side.  
  
"Don't ever make me look stupid like that again," Matt said in a quiet and low voice to her, "You'll be very sorry."  
  
They got into the car and sped off, leaving Piper staring aimlessly at the spot where the car had been. 


	10. Caged Like A...

It was Sunday night and there was a big party on. It was the beginning of mid-term the next day, and all the cool kids wanted to celebrate with a bang. Because of her involvement with Matt, Phoebe was now officially a 'cool kid', and she was at present getting ready for her first 'cool' high school party.  
  
"How do I look?" she asked Piper.  
  
Piper looked up at Phoebe, who was wearing a pretty black strapless dress with matching shoes, both borrowed - without asking - from Prue. Her hair was twisted into a plaited bun with cute little beads and clips. Her make up was a look of sophistication, which Piper assumed had been what she was going for.  
  
"Yeah, great," Piper told her half-heartedly.  
  
"Oh come on, Piper," Phoebe sat beside her, "you're not still mad at me are you?"  
  
Piper didn't reply.   
  
"I said I was sorry, and I gave you your money back... I don't know what else I can do to make it up to you." Phoebe said, sadness evident in her voice. "Please, don't stay mad at me."  
  
"I'm, I'm not mad Phoebe, I don't know what I am," Piper replied, "But I'm okay. And you do look great. You better go, it's getting late isn't it?"  
  
Phoebe heaved a sigh and walked past Piper. She paused at the door and turned around.  
  
"Piper?"  
  
Her sister didn't move.  
  
"Night, Piper," Phoebe left. She skipped down the stairs lightheartedly, trying to hype herself up and was almost at the door when a voice came from behind her.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?"  
  
Grams.  
  
Phoebe turned around cautiously. "Uh... Louise's," she lied.  
  
"Dressed like that?" Grams raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I don't think so."  
  
Prue dashed down the stairs and swept past them, looking just as glamourous as Phoebe. "Night Grams, night Phoebe," she said as she reached the door. "I wont be back till late, but I've got my keys."  
  
"Have fun, Prue," Grams smiled. Prue left. She was going to the same party Phoebe was planning on.  
  
Phoebe's jaw dropped. "You're letting Prue go to the party just like that? Why not me?"  
  
"I thought you were going to Louise's?" Sharp as an eagle, Grams always had been.  
  
"Well, uh, it's... Louise's... party..." Phoebe faltered and tailed off.   
  
"Phoebe, you're not going to this party," Grams said sternly.  
  
It was so typical for Grams to let Prue do all the fun things. She was so the favourite. Grams treated her like a princess and let her do everything she wanted, why not Phoebe? It was so unfair.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Phoebe!" Grams snapped. Phoebe knew she meant business and that she shouldn't push further if she wanted to keep her head. At the look of sheer disappointment on her granddaughter's face, Grams went on to explain. "At these sort of parties, things go on which I just don't want you getting into. There'll be alcohol-"  
  
"You still let Prue go."  
  
"Prue's an adult. She knows her limits. She certainly knows the rules if she wants to continue living under this roof." Grams paused and sighed. "Phoebe, there'll be plenty of other parties for you to go to. When you're older. Just now I want... I want you to enjoy your youth."  
  
'Young people go to parties,' Phoebe thought angrily. It looked as if Grams was about to go off on one of her reminiscent trips.  
  
"Enjoy being young because, because you never know when you're going to suddenly have to grow up and take responsibilty. For your life. For other people's lives..."  
  
What on earth was she talking about? Taking responsibility for other people's lives? Phoebe didn't have a clue.  
  
Grams seemed to suddenly realise what she was saying because she blinked and seemed to shake herself a little.   
  
"Run along now Phoebe, spend some time with Piper. I understand you two have some issues that need to be resolved."  
  
Phoebe lowered her eyes and trudged past her grandmother, and up the stairs. 


	11. The Party

Matt swaggered into the kitchen, heavily drunk.  
  
"Hey asshole!" his friends greeted him. They were just as drunk as he was and littered about the kitchen pouring more drinks or making a mess in general. Billy and Geoff were having a kitchen utensil fight. Billy, armed with a spatula, was winning as he forced Geoff backwards into the fridge, which they then raided for beer.  
  
"Hey," Matt replied. "You guys having fun?"  
  
A chorus of cheers.  
  
"Any of you seen Phoebe around?" he queried.  
  
Jay shook his head. "No, but her hot sister's here. Now she's a lady I wouldn't mind getting aqquainted with!"  
  
"Speak of the devil!" Geoff laughed as Prue walked in.  
  
She didn't recognise any of the faces staring at her, but went about her business of grabbing a beer. Some idiot was standing between her and the fridge though. Rather than have to talk to them (and she feared she would slur), she leaned past him and opened the door. Someone slapped her ass hard.  
  
"What the fuck?" she yelled and spun around. The guys erupted in laughter and she glared at them angrily. One of them stood forward.   
  
"Excuse my friend," he said with a tiny amount of charm, "he has idle hands."  
  
The boy next to him sniggered and shrugged to her sheepishly.   
  
Prue smiled a little. What was the use in getting angry? She may as well enjoy the attention. Not that she didn't get a lot anyway.  
  
The guy who'd spoken before continued. "Your sister Phoebe isn't here, is she?"  
  
Prue took a gulp from her beer. "Doubt it. Looked like my grandmother was laying it into her just as she was leaving. She probably won't be here."  
  
"Well can you tell her that Matt was very disappointed she didn't make it?" he said.  
  
"Sure, if I can remember!" Prue grinned. "See you guys later,"  
  
They watched her leave.  
  
"My god, what an ass," Jay grinned.  
  
"You know one day you're gonna get yourself punched, bro," Matt laughed. "Man, that sucks that Phoebe's not here..."  
  
"Why? Gonna screw her?" Billy joked.  
  
Matt chuckled.  
  
His friends could tell just by his action.  
  
"You already did?"  
  
"Matt you dog!"  
  
"Man she's easy!"  
  
Matt raised his hands above his head for silence, almost immediately receiving his friends' attention. He began to tell them what happened. 


	12. Piper Finds Out

Chapter Twelve: Piper Finds Out  
  
  
"How can you stand this?" Phoebe groaned.  
  
Piper shrugged. "I've just... never been much of a party animal."  
  
"But it's so boring, just hanging around all night."  
  
"I don't think so," Piper said, beginning to get defensive. Okay, so it wasn't Phoebe's style to stay inside on a night there was no school the next day, but should she really put down Piper just because it wasn't what she liked doing?  
  
"Oh I'm sorry," Phoebe apoligised, "I didn't mean it like that..."  
  
"I know," Piper muttered.  
  
"So what do you wanna talk about?" Phoebe asked, trying to find out if a subject change would ease the tension.   
  
Piper turned to her with a small smile. "How about you tell me all about Matt?" she suggested.   
  
Phoebe laughed. "Well," she began "we've been going out for a couple of weeks and I really really like him. He's sweet and kind and..." she faltered, as if on a different thought train.  
  
"And?" Piper prompted, before adding "He didn't seem all that when you were at the Joint the other day." Piper remembered him as being quite commanding and even a little disrespectful of his girlfriend. And he'd certainly been patronising and a right out bastard to her.   
  
Phoebe's eyes flickered away from her face. "Uh, he was just... in a bad mood. You know how guys get, right?"  
  
Piper nodded, but it was obvious she didn't really believe Phoebe.   
  
The phone rang, and Piper hurried downstairs to get it.  
  
Phoebe waited patiently in Piper's room, gazing at the decoration. The room was pale blue and had lots of little ornaments and dolls carefully arranged on shelves. The dressing table was more of a study table, and there was not one fraction of the room which was out of place. It was horrendously neat. Phoebe figured it must've been one of Piper's friends on the phone because it was a good fifteen minutes before Piper came back.  
  
"Took your time," Phoebe said nonchalantly.   
  
Piper said nothing, but watched her with a look of indifference on her face. Something was up.  
  
Phoebe sat up from her postion on the pillows she'd scattered on Piper's floor, to make it a little messier rather than for comfort and studied her sister's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
Piper continued to stare at her.  
  
Phoebe was getting increasingly uncomfortable and paranoid that whatever was wrong had something to do with her. Her mind raced through everything she'd done in the past few days that could've possibly upset her sister but nothing came to mind.   
  
Then Piper spoke. "How long, how long did you say you and Matt had been going out?" she said, in a slightly anxious voice.  
  
"Uh, couple of weeks? No - wait - it's nearly two." Phoebe replied, her voice just as anxious. Was Piper gonna interrogate her like before?  
  
But Piper didn't say another word. Instead, her eyes dropped from Phoebe's face and a look of disappointment gathered there. Phoebe didn't get it - Piper always seemed to be disappointed in her! What had she done?  
  
After a long silence, Piper glanced up. "You had sex with him, didn't you?" she said.  
  
But Phoebe could tell she already knew. 


	13. Prue Comes Home Early - Wonder Why!

One Big A/N: Okay, so the funny thing (to me it's funny) is that I'm really at a dead end with this story at the moment. It'll come to me again, I promise, I'm just in a rut. But with The Power of Three Plus One it's a completely different. I got like seven more chapters ready to go for that one (I think we all like psycho Paige!) And it's comical cos everyone is reading this and no one is reading that one. Maybe if I got more reviews for it I might be encouraged to write more of this...   
  
Lol I'm kidding, you don't have to go read it (though it IS quite good. Especially if you like Piper - cos she's in it! Who'd have thought!) cos I WILL update this piece of... literal... amazingness... um... as soon as I can think of more stuff to go in it.   
  
And wow, thanks for all the reviews! I've never felt so appreciated! I love you guys! Lol.  
  
pp "thinking hard and... nothing"  
  
  
  
Prue Comes Home Early. Wonder Why.  
  
  
  
Grams stuck her head round the door. "I'm going out for a little while girls," she said, looking anxious, "Look after yourselves." And she was gone.  
  
Piper hadn't taken her eyes off Phoebe the whole time.  
  
Phoebe couldn't think of what to say. Was there anything she could say?  
  
"Did you?" Piper prompted.  
  
There was something she could say. But she didn't want to. Catching her breath in her throat, she whispered a tiny word. "Yes."  
  
"Oh, Phoebe," Piper sighed.   
  
"How did you find out?" Phoebe asked quietly.  
  
Piper stared at her sadly. "I wish I could say it was magic or something, but uh, it's not. My friend Michelle is at the party you were supposed to go to tonight. And apparently it's spreading like wildfire."  
  
Phoebe's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"  
  
Piper nodded.   
  
Phoebe was suddenly terrified. The rumours would spread and everyone would think she was a slut! Then something struck her. "Are you not mad at me Piper?"  
  
"Hell yes. More than you could imagine."  
  
"Oh," Phoebe said, "Why are you not yelling?" She hoped asking this question would not instigate Piper raising her voice. It didn't.  
  
Piper looked at her with a sorrowful look on her face. "Prue'll be home soon." she said simply.  
  
It dawned on Phoebe. "Oh, shit!" she cried. Prue would kill her. She would actually kill her! "Piper you gotta help me!" she begged, "Talk to her - please?" She darted to Piper's side and tugged on her blouse.   
  
"Why should I?" Piper pulled away. "Phoebe, you've hurt me a lot in the past, but this is too far. I don't want to stick up for you. I don't want to act as the peacemaker between you and Prue. This time I'm on Prue's side. We told you, we fucking told you! And you'll get what you deserve."  
  
"Piper-"  
  
"No! I won't," Piper told her firmly.   
  
The front door slammed.  
  
Phoebe hoped to heaven it was Grams back from wherever she'd been. She glanced at Piper's clock. It was just after nine. Prue wouldn't be home already, would she? Unless-  
  
"Phoebe!" shouted a ferocious voice from downstairs.   
  
Phoebe had never wanted to kill herself more than when she heard the stomping of heels on the stairs as her big sister came to do it for her.   
  
"I'm gonna die," she muttered.  
  
"Yeah," Piper agreed unemotionally. She'd always been a great source for support!  
  
"Phoebe where are you?" Prue's angry voice sounded like it was coming from Phoebe's bedroom.   
  
For a second Phoebe considered hiding out under Piper's bed for a few months. But she'd have to take it then too. She trembled a little as she called. "In here..."  
  
The door slammed open and Prue glared at her, heat coming off her in her rage.  
  
Phoebe tried to smile innocently but it was useless. She knew Prue could tell Phoebe knew exactly what had happened, so there was no point in pretending.  
  
"You idiot." Prue said through clenched teeth.  
  
It was all Phoebe needed to hear. It wasn't all she was going to hear though. 


	14. They Yell, They Cry, They Yell Some More...

A/N: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Kayla who quite frankly scared me to hell with threats (of which my favourite one was "I'll hire a hitman, then fire him and kill you myself" - that was you, wasn't it Kayla?) to get more of this thing down. So thank you buddy for your... "encouragement" I think it worked. I *think* this chapter is good, all I can say is that I love the final sentence, makes me feel sorry for ickle Prudence.   
A/N: Thank ye all who have reviewed me. Makes me feel warm inside. No thank ye all who have not read my other story. Which, god damn you, is good! Cheers for your suggestions, I've written it as best as I could!  
A/N: And, you'll all be absolutely ecstatic to hear (modest ol me) that I am on a roll with this story again! I've got the next couple of chapters done and dusted! Cheer! I can't hear you...  
  
  
Chapter 14: They Yell, They Cry, They Yell Some More...  
  
  
"How could you do this after all I said to you?" Prue had paused in the doorway but was now advancing further into Piper's room. You could practically see the tension which arrived alongside the oldest Halliwell.  
  
Piper lay back uneasily on the bed. Prue saw this movement and looked at her. "Did you know?" she asked.   
  
Piper nodded. "I just found out. Friend, was at the party... said it's been spreading around."  
  
"So you heard it like a rumour?" Prue said, and received another nod from Piper. "Feels kinda like you've been betrayed, doesn't it? To find something like that out through a rumour when really you should've been told straight from the horse's mouth."  
  
"Prue, I was gonna tell you-"  
  
"Can it," Prue told Phoebe through grit teeth. Phoebe fell into terrified silence. But she was going to tell Prue, she really was! In a couple of years, anyway. Prue truly looked like she was going to hit her. "How long had you been together?" Prue asked coldly.  
  
"Uh... couple of weeks?" Phoebe lied. Unsuccessfully, however, because Piper decided to speak there and then.  
  
"Actually, it was a week and a half. Though I'm not sure I believe even that."  
  
"A week and a half," Prue echoed, cupping her face in her hands and massaging her forehead and temples - something she did rather a lot. "My sixteen-year-old sister's a slut..." she muttered.  
  
"Prue, I-"  
  
"How could you do this, Phoebe?" Prue suddenly exploded, "Do you realise what you've done? Everything I've ever done for you, since mom died-" This part really pulled on Phoebe's heartstrings, "-has been ruined. I worked so hard to keep you out of trouble, to make sure you have a clean reputation and now it's destroyed. Everything! All because of your stupidity and carelessness and fucking immaturity!"  
  
She stopped, gathering herself together. There was a pause, which let the heaviness of the situation feel even worse. Phoebe didn't move from her place on the floor. Piper was totally rigid. She'd seen Prue mad before but this was scary.  
  
Then Prue spoke again, this time much quieter. "Did you use a condom?"  
  
Something about Phoebe changed. Her whole body position changed, but without her actually moving. Her facial expression was different but still the same. Realisation dawned. She hadn't used protection. Not that he'd given her a chance... but...   
  
"Phoebe?" Prue said, her voice becoming stronger again, "Did you?"  
  
When once again she received no answer, Prue was struck by a sudden fear. What if Phoebe hadn't? What if she was pregnant, right now? Her baby sister couldn't possibly have a child of her own - how would they cope? What would people think? She had to know.  
  
"Phoebe!" she said sharply.   
  
Phoebe gave a small quiver and uttered a barely-audible word: "No."  
  
Unfortunately for Phoebe, the only way Prue knew how to express her fear was to channel it into anger.  
  
"So not only did you gain a reputation but you might also be carrying a baby, not to mention a whole bunch of STD's," Prue yelled, then her voice calmed. "Diseases which could, rip you to shreads inside, subject you to inexplicable pain and hurt, and even kill you. Or there's always a chance of a kid. Think of the fun you would have Phoebe, a sixteen-year-old dropping out of school to look after some screaming baby without a hope in the world of regaining her life. You could name it with the letter P, just like mommy and her sisters."  
  
"Please, stop it," Phoebe begged, tears already streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"Well your baby won't stop yelling when you ask so why should I?" Prue screamed. Piper's dressing table trembled and one of the pens on it's surface rolled off and onto the floor. Piper was the only person who saw this happen, and she forgot it instantly when Phoebe spoke.  
  
"Shut up, Prue," Phoebe said, her voice shaking.  
  
"You could've ruined your life! You've certainly ruined the way people see you now - everyone'll think you're a slut now. In fact you know what? You are! You're a dirty little-"  
  
"Shut up, Prue!" Phoebe cried, her voice instantly becoming stronger as anger took over, "it's not even my fault! He raped me!"  
  
It almost felt good to Phoebe as she saw Prue's expression change to one of complete shock.   
  
"I told him no, Prue, I said no... I fought him, but he held me down and he forced me," she was coming down from her sudden rage, her voice was coming out more in harsh, shuddering sobs. "I was raped!"  
  
A moment passed, then she ran past Prue and into her own room, slamming the door shut behind her.  
  
Silence followed her departure. Prue's face was as white as a sheet as she stood there, and Piper was no different. Prue was about to break down. She could feel Piper looking at her. 'Just don't look at her and you'll be okay,' she told herself, but it was too late. She glanced at her sister and felt utterly defeated.   
  
"Oh, god," she whispered and tumbled down beside Piper on the bed, falling into her arms and receiving a tentative hug. A hug that she'd needed for a long, long time. 


	15. Prue's Warning

A/N: As for the "was she really raped" debate, you're both right - she was raped, and the second time she had to let him or he'd force it again. However, she did lie to Prue a little, because she doesn't mention the second time. But don't worry, I'll sort it out. Well, I'll try to.  
  
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Chapter Fifteen: Prue's Warning.  
  
  
  
A few minutes had passed where Prue had lain in Piper's arms, letting her little sister run her hands through her hair and rock her gently, finally allowing someone to care for her, when the front door slammed and Grams' voice floated up the stairs.  
  
"Girls, can you come here please?"  
  
Taking in a shuddering breath, Prue raised herself and followed Piper down the stairs. Seconds later, Phoebe joined them, her face red and tear-streaked.  
  
"What's wrong, Phoebe? You look as if you've been crying. In fact, all of you do!" Grams exclaimed.  
  
"I, uh," Phoebe began, but Piper stepped in.  
  
"It's nothing Grams, we were watching a movie and..."  
  
"Honestly, girls," Grams smiled, "It's just a made-up story!" Piper was unsure whether Grams would've believed Piper's made-up story if she hadn't seemed so anxious about something. She also would've noticed that Prue was home, and not at the party like she should've been. "Anyway," she continued, "I will be staying at Aunt Claire's tonight, business as usual," she beamed at them, "so Prue, take care of your sisters."  
  
She said this last sentence out of routine. Then, with a swift kiss on each of their foreheads, she left again. The three sisters stood in awkward silence for a while.  
  
"I'm going to bed," Phoebe said.  
  
"No," Prue cut her off.  
  
Phoebe turned to face her. "Why? Cos you wanna yell at me some more?"  
  
"I don't wanna yell, Phoebe," Prue's voice was beginning to crack, "I just..." she stopped. And realised she didn't know what to say. Except for one thing. "I'm sorry."  
  
The hard look on Phoebe's face instantly softened. How often did Prue ever say something like that - had she ever said something like this?   
  
Prue's face was a picture of grief and sorrow. She was truly miserable. It cut Phoebe up to see her sister this way - Prue wasn't supposed to be like this! She was supposed to be strong, and she was supposed to be their support.   
  
But right now, she wasn't. Prue's body racked with her breathing, and for the first time, Phoebe saw Prue as a fragile human being, just like everybody else. Not the strong-hearted, hot-headed woman they knew her as, not their replacement mother after their real one had died; but as a human being with feelings to hurt and a heart to shatter.  
  
And it seemed that all this emotion has come from something that had happened to Phoebe. Prue must genuinely care.   
  
Phoebe quickly threw her arms around her, pulling her into a protective hug.   
  
In the corner of her eye, Phoebe saw Piper watch, tear tracks lining her face, and she held out an arm for her other sister to join the protection of their big sister too.   
  
Prue felt Piper's body press into her back and realised just how much this closeness affected her. Prue got a little of the motherly comfort she truly deserved.  
  
"I love you guys," she whispered.  
  
A feeling of gratitude swelled up in Phoebe's chest. "I love you too."  
  
"I love you too," Piper echoed.  
  
It was the first true "sister moment" they'd had in a long time.  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Phoebe?" came a male voice.  
  
"Yeah," she replied.  
  
"Hey baby," the voice floated down the line. It was Matt. Phoebe froze. She hadn't even thought about how she would react when she saw him or spoke to him again, but here he was. And she was totally rigid. "Shame you didnt make it to the party the other night. Thought I could take you out today? I've got a free house, we could..." he tailed off suggestively.  
  
Phoebe felt absolutely disgusted. After her confrontation with Prue, she'd been forced to face her real feelings about Matt. And, she concluded, she hated him.  
  
At that moment, Prue walked past and looked at her curiously.  
  
"Is that him?" she said angrily, and reached for the phone, but Phoebe side-stepped her. She nodded her head, telling Prue that it was, but for some reason she didn't want Prue to yell at him.  
  
"Phoebe? Are you there?" he said, his voice raising a little. He was already angry.  
  
Phoebe wasn't really paying attention though, she was too busy looking at Prue's confused face and wondering why she was 'protecting' Matt.  
  
"Phoebe!" Matt suddenly shouted, his voice full of rage.  
  
Even though the receiver wasn't remotely close to her ear, Phoebe heard it. As did Prue. Phoebe's body went numb as Prue snatched the receiver and spoke angrily into it.  
  
"Hello? This is Prue Halliwell - Phoebe's older sister." Her voice took on a warning tone. "I found out what you did to her and I want you to know I am gonna make sure you won't even be able to walk after my friends are through with you. You stay away from my sister, am I clear?" she paused, then shouted into the phone. "I said, am I clear?"  
  
Then she slammed down the receiver and looked at Phoebe.   
  
Phoebe realised why she hadn't wanted Prue to speak to him - she was scared. She was scared of what Matt would do to her now he knew she'd told Prue - even though she hadn't! But he'd think she did. Prue seemed to pick up on this fear though.  
  
"There's no need to be scared of him. I've got a couple of friends who'd be more than happy to sort him out and he'll never touch you again."  
  
"Thank you," Phoebe whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. She thought she should feel a lot more at ease than she did, so why didn't she? 


	16. Is It Really Over?

A/N: Everyone thank Jewel-Halliwell for the retrieval of this chapter! I had lost the entire...ness of this story when my disk screwed up and I'd sent her this chap. Thank god she saved it (must be a huge fan of mine).  
A/N: Might be a while before I post the next chapter, since I have to rewrite it and all... grr... however, the more reviews I get, the more I might be encouraged to write hey hey?? Lol.  
  
pp  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Is It Really Over?  
  
  
Mid-term was over. Piper and Phoebe were back at school, Prue was back at college.   
  
It was her first day back after not seeing Matt for over a week, and Phoebe was terrified of what would happen in homeroom where they would definitely meet. Slowly and steadily, she paused outside her classroom. Could she do this?   
  
"Phoebe!" a familiar voice called from behind her. Phoebe breathed in relief.   
  
"Hey Marie," she smiled, turning around. Marie was one of Phoebe's closest friends.   
  
"Going in?" Marie grinned, before the look on her face suddenly changed to a very strange stare. "Phoebe?" she said quickly, then paused.  
  
Phoebe cocked her head to one side questioningly, signalling Marie to continue. They stepped out of the way of the door to a more private place, where the hall wall jutted inwards slightly to create a little opening in the wall where they could stand.   
  
Marie shifted her weight. "We haven't talked for ages," she said, to which Phoebe nodded in agreement. "I just wanted to know... is it true?"  
  
Phoebe's face remained expressionless, though her mind became frenzied. "Is... what true?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
Marie had a characteristic ritual where she scrunched her face up whenever she was finding it hard to say something. She did this now. Phoebe recognised the look.  
  
"Tell me," she urged.  
  
"About you and Matt - how you went ten rounds in bed with him and wanted more, a couple days after you'd started dating."  
  
Phoebe's face fell, even though she knew it was what was coming. But what Marie said was a huge lie! She hadn't wanted more - it made her sound like a slut!  
  
"No!" she cried, her tone of voice conveying her disgust. The bell rang. "Can I tell you the real story later?" she implored. She couldn't have Marie thinking of her that way - Marie was the type of person you only wanted to show your good side to, though Phoebe had no idea why.  
  
Marie nodded, and walked into homeroom with Phoebe following. Many pairs of eyes watched them. There was a low murmer of whispers which followed Phoebe all the way to her seat. Phoebe couldn't hear what people were saying, but she knew it was about her. She sat down beside Marie in silence. Mr Broker their tutor wasn't there yet, but Phoebe wished he was, if only so she could sit in peace.  
  
The door swung open, and as Phoebe got her hopes up, they were smashed down. Sandra and several of her giggling cronies stalked into the room. Sandra surveyed her surroundings before locking onto her target.  
  
"Hello, Freebie," she smirked down at the anxious girl. Several snickers travelled around the room at this new nickname. But thankfully, that was as far as she got, for Mr Broker finally decided to grace the class with his presence.  
  
Matt didn't make an appearance. All day. Phoebe couldn't have been more grateful.  
  
*  
  
It'd been a tough day for the youngest Halliwell, struggling through all the whispers from the quiet kids and name-calling from the louder ones - especially Sandra and Matt's friends. Everybody seemed to have taken an extreme liking to Sandra's latest derogatory phrase: Freebie.  
  
Phoebe sighed as she started the short walk home. Prue was supposed to have been giving her a lift, but she hadn't showed. Neither had Piper. No matter, it happened a lot. Besides, it was a beautiful day to be outside. The warm sun really lifted Phoebe's spirits, and she became considerably more cheerful. Maybe she could put this all behind her! She hadn't seen him yet but she knew Matt would stay out of her way, she just knew it!  
  
She walked happily along the quiet road, gazing all around her at everything she could see. 'That looks like Matt's car,' she thought to herself on passing a black car, parked at the side of the road. It didn't even register in her head that it was his car before she was roughly grabbed from behind, had a hand clamped over her mouth, and dragged towards the parked vehicle.  
  
Matt was very prepared. He ignored the biting and scratching Phoebe was attepmting to inflict and slammed open the car door before throwing her inside the front seat. He then grabbed her right wrist and snapped it into the set of handcuffs that was already attached to the steering wheel, before slamming the door shut.  
  
"Help me!" Phoebe cried while he dashed round to the driver's door and clambered in. She'd already re-opened her own door and was struggling to release herself, but the handcuffs were too strong.   
  
Matt leaned over her wrenching body and closed her door again, before clicking on the autolock, so her door would remain shut. While he did so, he received a smart punch on the ear courtesy of Phoebe's left fist.  
  
"Ow, fucker!" he cried, nursing his now throbbing ear.  
  
"Let me go," Phoebe warned, tugging viciously on the handcuffs, but they held tight.  
  
Without replying, Matt started up the car and swung them onto the road. His turn of the wheel made Phoebe's arm move with it.   
  
"Careful," Matt said, his voice sounding perfectly calm. "If you pull on the wheel, we'll crash!" He sounded almost normal. But Phoebe was enraged. So enraged, that she ignored Matt and pulled against the handcuffs again, causing the wheel to jerk in her direction. But, 'luckily', Matt was strong enough to maintain control. "What did I just tell you?" he grinned at her.  
  
"Matt, please," she begged. She was terrified of what he might do. Why didn't she see this coming?   
  
"Pheebs, we're just gonna have some fun," Matt told her, "Remember when I took you to those woods?"  
  
Phoebe nodded timidly.   
  
"Thought we might go back, for old times sake!"  
  
"No..." Phoebe whispered. "Please... please just let me go!" Her eyes were feeling the pricks of tears now, and one escaped down her cheek. If Matt saw it, he either didn't comment or didn't care. 


	17. He Finally Leaves Her Alone

Chapter 17: He Finally Leaves Her Alone  
  
  
  
"It's almost like a second home," Matt said, making his voice sound choked up and reminiscent. He was joking, of course. Only no one was laughing. He stuck his head into the car where Phoebe was still sitting in silence. "Come on Pheebs, crack a smile!"  
  
She looked away, out of the window at the barren lanscape she saw all around her. This wasn't happening. Things like this didn't happen in real life! Nobody kidnapped people in the real world - well, in Phoebe's real world they didn't. But somehow here she was. With him. She drew in a long, quivering breath as he made his way to her side of the car. Maybe she could somehow get the keys and drive herself out of there. Sure she didn't know how to drive, but what did it matter as long as she got away from Matt?  
  
Her door opened, and Matt snatched her arm. The other one was still handcuffed to the steering wheel. Phoebe's wrist was painful and bleeding from struggling against it, but that was at the back of her mind now. All she cared about was escaping.   
  
He was tugging on her arm, but not pulling her out of the car. If he'd tried, he'd probably have yanked the handcuffed arm out of its socket. "Let go of me," she said rigidly through clenched teeth. Of course he paid no attention to her. If there was one thing Phoebe had learned during their 'relationship' it was that he had no respect for her whatsoever. She was indeed just an object to him, a possession. A house pet needing to be trained. And train her he would.  
  
Smirking, Matt reached over her and unlocked the handcuffs. Phoebe immediately gripped her sore wrist with her other hand, instinctively tending the wound. But she didn't really have a chance to inspect the damge, because before she knew it she found herself being hauled out of the car.   
  
Once she was out, Matt threw the door shut and pushed her up against the side of the car. "You think you can get rid of me by telling big sister?" he snarled, pressing his body into hers and holding her in place, "I figured she's gonna get her college buddies to kick my ass anyway so... why not have a little fun while I'm fit for it huh?"  
  
She attempted to push him off and make a break for it, but he easily held her without exerting hiself in the slightest. Compared to Matt, Phoebe was as weak as hell and there was no way she could even hope to hurt him... except maybe for one thing Prue had once taught her. She'd called it the 'Halliwell Family Special' - or the 'Grab, Twist and Pull'!  
  
Breathing in deeply, Phoebe prepared herself. Matt was beginning to grope her roughly, paying no attention to her clenching fist. Thank god he was wearing loose pants. He had a semi-eretion already. It was now or never. She went over the actions in her head. Grab. Twist. Pull. Then she went for it.   
  
His scream could probably be heard for miles around. His hands flew straight to his crotch, giving Phoebe time to thump him heavily on the back with all the strength she could muster and he fell to the ground, tears gathering in his eyes.  
  
Run! That word flew through her head and she put it into action. It was only until he got up and gave chase that she realised how pointless running was. Where would she go? They were miles away from any sort of civilisation. But in the back of her mind was lodged one thought. If only she could stall him for long enough, maybe, maybe someone would drive by and rescue her! It was all she had to believe in, so she put all her strength into trying her hardest.  
  
"Bitch!" came a hoarse shout from close behind her. She should've known better than trying to outrun an athelete - even one with an injured manhood! He grabbed her from behind and held tight. She swung around with a sharp yell and began to pummell him with her small fists. But she was nothing compared to him. Swiftly, he delivered a blow to her temple which sent her to the ground. He'd hit her!  
  
"Self defence, Phoebe," he said hoarsly. "You were trying to hurt me so naturally I had to react." He kicked her heavilyin the stomache.  
  
She cried out, never having felt any sensation like this before. Sure she'd fought with her sisters before but it had never been like this! This was sheer violence and totally brutal.  
  
Dazed, Phoebe felt him pick her up and sling her over his shoulder. Within seconds, it seemed, they were back at the car and walking into the woods. Then he was putting her down and she had managed to collect her thoughts.   
  
"Have to say Phoebe, you really get a guy riled up," Matt commented. He pushed her onto the ground. She glared up at him tearlessly. This couldn't happen. Not again. Her left hand began to scuttle across the ground, searching for something hard.  
  
He was unzipping his pants now, and a small whimper of fear emitted Phoebe's throat. Once he was naked apart from his boxers, he leant down beside her and his hands clawed greedily at the buttons of her school blouse.   
  
"No!" she yelled, finally locating with her left hand something hard to attack him with. She swung the rock at his head and it hit him before he could stop it. Unfortunately, she only had time to get up and begin running before he grabbed her again. It seemed that the 'Halliwell Family Special' was more effective in that department. She fell down and he flipped her onto her back, straddling her.  
  
"I'm beginning to get tired of this," he growled, and clutched her forehead with his large hand. Seemingly expertly, he lifted up her head and quickly slammed it back onto the hard ground.   
  
Phoebe wasn't expecting this. Her vision swam. She couldn't think straight. What'd he done to her?  
  
"A little trick I learned from 'Scream'," he told her, but his words jumbled in her ears. She couldn't understand a word he was saying. She felt so tired. Everything that was happening became a dull throbbing in her head. Was someone taking off her jeans? She slightly felt like someone was undressing her, touching her. And she was so tired...  
  
Her eyes closed, and she was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
"Piper?" Prue called through the manor once she'd arrived home. "Sorry I didn't pick you guys up today," she told her sister once she appeared from the kitchen. "I was meeting Steven, I totally forgot. You two just walked home, right?"  
  
Stepping forward, Piper fiddled with the buttons on the neck of her cardigan. "No... I got a ride home from Stephanie... I thought Phoebe was with you..."  
  
Although this was usually nothing to worry about, Phoebe's current situation with her psycho boyfriend made it far too hard to believe that she was out having harmless fun somewhere. Worry instantly ploughed into their heads as they stared at each other. Where was she?  
  
* * *  
  
Phoebe awoke to the sounds of birds singing, wind rustling leaves and water trickling along a small stream. Where was she? She tried to move, but all over her body she felt pain. Looking down, she saw, to her horror, that she was completely naked!  
  
Looking around her, terrified, she thanked god that she appeared to be alone. On closer inspection, she found that painful bruises were beginning to show up on her skin. She was incredibly disoriented after waking up in such a strange place, but when she remembered what had happened, it hit her like a ton of bricks.  
  
Matt.  
  
"Oh god," she whimpered. Where was he? He wasn't hiding in the bushes somewhere, watching, was he? She was fearful to move anywhere, but she realised she'd starve to death if she just sat there for the rest of her life. Pain jolted through her freezing body as she struggled to sit up. Silently pleading to herself, she scanned the area for any sign of her clothes. "Please... please be here."  
  
He was a sick son of a bitch to leave her stranded in the middle of nowhere without any clothes, bleeding and bruised and shaking with fear. Then she saw her blouse slung over a low tree branch. Her heart soared.  
  
Phoebe stumbled over to it as fast as her aching legs could carry her, and was joyful to find her jeans lying a few feet away from the blouse. Her underwear remained nowhere to be seen. It took her about ten minutes to carefully edge her bruised body into the clothes, but she was so grateful for having found them it didn't matter.  
  
Having been awake for at least an hour, Phoebe was certain she was alone. Eventually, she made it to the roadside. His car was gone, but tire tracks were visible in the fading light. The night was drawing closer. Phoebe had no desire whatsoever to spend the night outside, alone, bruised and hungry but could see she had no other choice. She was too far away to even hope to walk back to the city. Well, to make it in a day anyway. She was at least fifty miles from San Francisco and she had no idea what to do.  
  
Matt had finally let her go. She was on her own. 


	18. Gone Forever

Chapter 18: Gone Forever  
  
  
  
  
The sound of tires crunching over twigs and other roadside debris woke Phoebe up from where she was curled up on the cold ground, sleeping fervently.  
  
It was dark, and someone had found her.  
  
'Please, god, don't be him,' she prayed silently, feeling as dirty as she looked. Lying in mud tended to have that effect. The car's headlights were shining sharply in her eyes, but she remained unmoved. All she did was check her watch. It was 2:09am. Then she looked up again, squinting into the harsh light.  
  
Three of the doors opened, and some people clambered out.  
  
"Phoebe!"  
  
Prue! It was Prue! She'd come to save her!  
  
"Oh my god Phoebe, are you okay?"  
  
Piper too! Once again the Halliwells proved how they looked out for each other. Phoebe had never felt more relieved in her life. She struggled to get up but couldn't. Time had dealt with her bruises and wounds heavily - it had nade them worse. Collapsing back down onto the ground again, she looked up. "Prue, Piper!" she cried, her voice cracking in her weakness.  
  
They were beside her now, hugging her and wrapping their coats around her. She was absolutely freezing, and felt more than grateful for their care. Helping her up, Prue introduced Phoebe to the third person who'd been in the car - one of Prue's college friends called Steven.  
  
"If it hadn't been for Steven we wouldn't have found you," Prue told her, bundling her into the passenger seat of the car and joining her side behind the wheel. "He met Matt and got him to tell us where you were... don't worry Phoebe, Matt's finished. We've called the cops and everything."  
  
"And I kicked the crap out of him," Steven interjected.  
  
"He sure did," Prue beamed in the rearview mirror as she threw the car back into gear and started heading for home. She noticed Phoebe's silence. "I know you've gone through so much in the last few hours... I can't bear to think what happened to you out here... but I promise you Phoebe, I promise everything will be alright."  
  
Listening to her big sister's decisive voice, Phoebe found that she believed her. If the police were involved, surely that meant it was over, right? Right. She let herself relax a little in the heat from the car's radiator. Wincing as the bruises on her body screamed every time she moved, she rested her head just beside the window and fell into a deep sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
It was five weeks since Phoebe's ordeal in the woods, and she was a much happier young woman for it. Grams had been informed about everything of course, and she'd been great about it - offering Phoebe support whenever she needed it and giving her space when she felt stressed or worried. Piper and Prue had been wonderful too, constantly taking her mind off moping and crying with their antics and fun, and keeping a smile on her face whenever she was with them.  
  
School had improved too. Since they'd tried to keep what happened to her under wraps, when she returned to school two weeks later naturally everybody knew. There were still a few faded bruises dotting her body so that was a bit of a prover too. And thankfully, people realised how horrible Matt was and gave Phoebe genuine sympathy and support. There were still the select few who held it against her - of course, Sandra held Phoebe breathing the same air as her against her. Sandra still loved the nickname 'Freebie', calling it out in the corridor at every opportunity and seemingly thinking that Phoebe wouldn't know it was her. But Phoebe didn't care. She was a lot happier now. That chapter of her life was over and she'd survived it.  
  
She still suffered occasional panic attacks, and a general fear of the opposite sex when she'd feel nauseous just standing a few feet away from a male, but she couldn't help it. And besides, she was going to conquer that fear faster than she knew it in the not too distant future.  
  
Matt himself had received harsh judgement (not harsh enough in Prue and Grams' opinion) for several charges: harrassment, rape, physical abuse, kidnapping, and the big one; attempted homicide. The court had taken Matt abandoning Phoebe in the woods alone with no means by which to get home an attempt to actually get rid of her, which in the end it kind of was. Matt had argued that she'd constantly asked him to leave her alone, and he'd taken that to mean literally get in the car and go! He was lying, of course. He'd known exactly what she'd meant.  
  
He'd been sent to a juvenile delinquincy compound where he'd stay until he was twenty-one. Then he'd be released on probation as a trial run to see how well he interacted in society, and would attend anger management classes on a weekly basis. A restraining order had also been placed on him demanding that he never come within three hundred metres of Miss Phoebe Halliwell again. This suited her fine.  
  
* * *  
  
Sitting by the oven in the kitchen, sipping a mug of hot chocolate Phoebe reflected on the last two months of her life. It was still painful to remember what had happened in the forest, even though she wasn't 100% sure - she had been unconscious at the time. But judging from her nakedness when she'd woken up and bruising, it wasn't too hard to hazard a guess.  
  
It had been confirmed she wasn't pregnant much to Phoebe's - and everybody else's - relief. She hoped Matt would never have children. If he did, she was sure it'd grow up to be just as evil as he was. She hoped he'd never see the light of day. Five years in a juvenile compound didn't seem enough. It wasn't enough, but when Matt had been pleading his case, he'd been very convincing. He was a great liar.  
  
But one day it'd all come back to him. Phoebe knew that as a fact. She sighed contentedly and watched Prue play with Piper's long hair across the table, braiding it.   
  
Whatever you do, it always comes back to you. It always does.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The End  
  
  
  
A/N: You know, I really liked writing this story. Until I lost everything. Then I didn't like it. Sorry about the mega cheesy ending, but I wanted to get the story out of the way so I can work on my next story which is set to be a million times more... good than this and I actually love writing it! Hooray for me!  
A/N: If Matt gets out from juvenile prison, he will NOT be coming after Phoebe, just accept that he learned his lesson. I couldn't handle a sequel lol.  
A/N: Aside from all that, thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. It meant a lot to know you liked my work, and I'll try to make the next one even better than the best! Not saying this was the best, but you get what I mean.  
  
Later all!  
  
pp 


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